State of the Arts Blog

Could St. Paul host a second Fringe Festival?
The Minnesota Fringe Festival is around the corner, and new Executive Director Jeff Larson has made some changes. Set for July 31 to Aug. 10 at 15 venues in Minneapolis, the festival will feature a new website geared for mobile access. So festival-goers should have an easy time writing reviews from theater lobbies. The Fringe…
Walt Whitman celebrated in ‘Leaves of Grass: Uncut’
Walt Whitman is widely considered the father of free verse, but for choreographer and performer Patrick Scully, the famed poet’s most important legacy was that of a gay man. While he was vilified by some for what they considered “obscene” writing, his work had an enormous impact on the likes of Oscar Wilde and Thomas…
Longtime arts administrator Dixon Bond, who three decades ago helped turn around the Ordway in St. Paul, died at his home in Northfield on June 30. He was 77. A native of South Minneapolis, Bond studied at Carleton College, where he founded the all-men singing group the Knights. A career in marketing and fundraising led…
Local art shines in MN Museum of American Art exhibit
The new exhibition at the Minnesota Museum of American Art offers an expansive look at some of the best work by local artists. The 2014 Biennial, which runs through August 3 at the MMAA’s project space in downtown St. Paul, offers up pieces by Minnesota heavyweights at the peak of their game (think Andrea Stanislav,…
Art Hounds: Ethnic Dance, LEAV app, furniture as art
Ethnic Dance Theatre turns 40, an app which provides a portal to a new realm of art experiences, and fine furniture in Winona. (Want to be an Art Hound? Sign up!) A beautiful marriage of form, function and design is happening at the Winona County Historical Center, according to Vicki Englich, chair of River Arts…